{"id":295987,"date":"2023-11-23T01:24:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-23T01:24:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=295987"},"modified":"2023-11-23T01:24:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T01:24:49","slug":"richard-cockerill-on-three-man-shortlist-to-be-head-coach-of-georgia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/rugby-union\/richard-cockerill-on-three-man-shortlist-to-be-head-coach-of-georgia\/","title":{"rendered":"Richard Cockerill on three-man shortlist to be head coach of Georgia"},"content":{"rendered":"
Richard Cockerill is on a three-man shortlist to take on the head coach role of ambitious Georgia just days after being dramatically sacked by French club side Montpellier.<\/p>\n
Former Leicester and Edinburgh boss Cockerill left his role as an England assistant to Steve Borthwick at the conclusion of this year’s Six Nations to return to France.<\/p>\n
But his stint in charge of Montpellier came to a dramatic end at the weekend when he was sacked by Bernard Laporte who had been brought in by owner Mohed Altrad.<\/p>\n
Laporte was appointed as Montpellier’s director of owner by close friend Altrad who almost immediately removed Cockerill from his position.<\/p>\n
The former hooker won just won of seven games with Montpellier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Richard Cockerill’s stint in charge of Montpellier came to a dramatic end at the weekend<\/p>\n
But MailSport understands Cockerill could soon be back in work with Georgia interested in his services.<\/p>\n
Reports in France on Tuesday suggested Cockerill’s move to Georgia is a done deal but the Lelos are still undergoing their recruitment process to find a successor to Levan Maisashvili.<\/p>\n
Former Georgia head coach Maisashvili left his position after this year’s World Cup but will stay with the Georgian Rugby Union in a performance role.<\/p>\n
Cockerill and two other unknown candidates are in the frame to replace him although it is not yet certain the former England man will take on the job.<\/p>\n
No date for a Georgian Rugby board meeting to see who gets their top rugby role has been set as things stand.<\/p>\n
But as a former front-row forward, Cockerill would be a good fit for Georgia whose traditional strength lies in their pack even if they have tried to evolve their game behind the scrum.<\/p>\n
Cockerill’s no-nonsense style of management would also likely go down well with the Lelos.<\/p>\n
Laporte’s return to Montpellier has proved controversial.<\/p>\n
The former France head coach and ex-World Rugby vice chairman resigned from his senior role at the French Federation in January after being found guilty of favouritism in awarding a shirt sponsorship contract for the national side to Altrad. Laporte is appealing the ruling.<\/p>\n
Montpellier, French champions in 2022, are bottom of the TOP14 table as things stand.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Former Georgia head coach Levan Maisashvili left his position after this year’s World Cup<\/p>\n
Rene Bouscatel, president of France’s top league the TOP14, said: ‘It’s a question that only concerns those at the club and Bernard. It’s their business. I respect him on a sporting level, but it’s their business. In French law you’re innocent until proven guilty. We can think whatever we want but that’s what it is.<\/p>\n
‘It’s a difficult topic if we look at it on a human level. But until he is charged or proven guilty he can do whatever he wants. I’m a lawyer, so again I know it’s innocent until proven guilty.<\/p>\n
‘We can’t prevent him (Laporte) from going about his life. For me, it’s very good.<\/p>\n
‘It’s a choice that was made by Montpellier. It’s very good that someone with the skills and experience of Bernard comes to the club. It’s a club problem. Everyone makes their choices.’ Georgia Rugby has also been given another boost after they signed a three-year marketing partnership with European Professional Club rugby.<\/p>\n
Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Richard Cockerill on three-man shortlist to be head coach of Georgia just days after being sacked by French club side Montpellier Richard Cockerill was dramatically […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":295986,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n